


The Princess And The Assistant

by Agentfitzsimmons



Category: Agents of SHIELD - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Princess!Jemma, fairytale AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-04 14:51:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14022621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agentfitzsimmons/pseuds/Agentfitzsimmons
Summary: The Fitzsimmons Fairytale AU we all wanted at some point.Jemma is a Princess who is betrothed to Will Daniels but is having a secret relationship with her mothers assistant Leo Fitz. Her family hates fitz and wants her to go through with her marriage with will. But their relationship can't be a secret forever.





	1. Chapter 1

Jemma was sat, anxiously, in the large entrance room of her palace. She liked routine, and having to take time out of that to spend time with her betrothed prince didn't work well with her. Her future husband was prince Will Daniels and Jemma thought he was a decent person but she didn't love him. She could never love him. She loved someone else.

•••••••••  
"Jemma you don't have to be nervous" Fitz said as he walked into the main entrance room and saw Jemma tapped her foot nervously  
"You've met the guy like twenty times already" he said smiling.  
Fitz and Jemma had been best friends since they were sixteen and now they were both twenty six years old and their friendship had grown into someone bigger. They'd met when fitz was abandoned by his parents and turned up outside the castle door. Her mother had turned him away but Jemma insisted that they let him have shelter there for a night. She kept convincing her parents that he needed more time and eventually they just let him stay at the castle, as long as he worked for it.  
From then on, fitz had been ordered to become the Queens assistant, that's what Jemma called it since she hated the word 'servant'.  
She knew her parents didn't exactly like fitz at all, but she had different feelings. About a a few months ago from their current situation of sitting and waiting in the entrance hall, Jemma and fitz had admitted their love for eachother but just as they did, Jemmas parents had told her she was betrothed. This put them both in a difficult postion. 

"I know fitz...you just know how much I don't want to pretend to love him" Jemma said "betrothal is just so...."

"Annoying and shouldn't exist?" Fitz said smirking as Jemma nodded  
His expression softened and he placed his hand on hers. He noticed no one was around yet. Jemma was noticing the same thing. They both leant in the kiss eachother.  
As if the universe wanted them to be apart every second they were finally alone, the entrance doors creaked open and they both quickly pulled away from eachother.  
Getting caught loving eachother was a risk. They wanted to take that risk but Jemma knew her family would make sure she'd never see fitz again. And she didn't want that. They both had this dream of running away to someplace suburban. Like a small cottage surrounded by woodland and small animals. Almost like a cliche princess but Jemma was always one for an adventure every now and then. Even if he parents disapproved.

Fitz hurried to his feet and stood at the side of the room and took wills coat as one of wills many tall knights handed it to him. Fitz hated his whole entourage and hated Will as a person. Sure he wasn't the worse but he could be stuck up and a little too happy about how rick he was.

"Hi will" Jemma said trying to smile but it came off rather as a grimace. 

"Please, Jemma. We've talked about this. Address him formally and then maybe for the rest of the day you can get used to addressing him by his first name" her mother said walking through looking as judgemental as usual

"Yes mother" Jemma said airily, almost sarcastic. She saw Will purse his lips so he wouldn't laugh at her attitude. 

"Prince Will" Jemma said, this time satisfying for her mother "it's...a pleasure to see you again"

"As to you too princess Jemma" Will replied taking her hand and kissing it.  
Fitz just shot will an annoyed glance when no one was looking. He felt like the unluckiest and the luckiest man in the world. He was lucky because of the love him and Jemma shared. He was unlucky because he couldn't be with her often and he had to watch as an idiotic prince flirted with her on a constant. 

"Leopold, go lay the table" Jemma's mothers voice snapped when she noticed fitz staring at Jemma.

"Yes mother" he said repeating what Jemma had said earlier to make her laugh a little before realising what he'd actually just said. He blushed "I mean...yes ma'am....I meant that...obviously...." he said quickly 

Jemma smiled and let out a small giggle. She loved fitzs humour and how he didn't realise how awkward it was until he said it to someone he shouldn't have. She adored him. 

"So...you're here to discuss wedding plans?" Jemmas mothers asked politely and Will nodded firmly

"Yes...I received your letter your majesty" Will said "I couldn't turn down planning this. Considering how special it's going to be"  
Will took Jemmas hands in his own, unlike fitzs soft hold it was quite firm.

"Yes" Jemma said quietly, not wanting to get wills hopes up but wanted to please everyone else. She hated having to do that. If she even mentioned anything about how she felt her mother would be furious. Jemma felt like she was on stepping stones of royalty 'perfection' and with one slip she would fall right into the deep pool of misery that her parents would put her and fitz through by separating them.

"Shall we?" Will said holding out his arm for her to take. Jemmas delicate hands lightly touched his arm as they walked to the dining hall together. 

•••••••••••••

Fitz had finished setting up the dining table and made sure every single set of cutlery was in place and absolutely spotless. She stood in the corner of the room, as he usually did when Jemma had meals. He would wait there and clean up afterwards. He looked around at some of the food already laid out on the pristine table cloth. Delicious turkey that was steaming appetisingly. Soups for everyone's starter that sent an aroma of steam through the air. And the atmosphere was complete by the fruit and the grand cake standing at the centre of the table. Fitz would've done anything to eat it all, he was fed briefly but it kept him going. When him and Jemma were kids she used to sneak food from her family's elaborate meals and bring it to fitzs room for him. After Jemmas parents had put her to bed, she would sneak down to his room and they'd eat the snacks together. Fitz smiled at the memory just before Will and Jemma came through, her arm linked in his.

"It smells exquisite" Will remarked and pulled out Jemmas chair for her. Jemma slowly sat in the wooden chair and she felt will press a kiss to the back of her head, which was sweet. She knew his heart was in the right place and she almost felt guilty for not loving him as much as he loved her. She gave a small forced smile in wills direction before turning to her soup. She picked up one spoon out of the many laid out and started slurping the soup into her mouth 

"Jemma!" Her mother snapped and she paused slightly.  
Jemma quickly wiped away the soup from around her mouth and attempted to eat it a little more politely. She hated being a princess. She just wanted to have fun and make her own decisions.

"So Jemma....where would you like our wedding" Will asked. She looked up from her bowl of soup.

"she'll like it here, of course" Her mother said before she could give her opinion "it couldn't be anywhere else"

"Actually I was...." Jemma said but her mother gave her a look that made Jemma stop talking. She sighed and rolled her eyes discreetly.  
She glanced over to the side of the room and saw fitz looking at her sympathetically and Jemma just gave him a genuine reassuring smile

•••••••••  
The rest of the meal almost bored Jemma to a point of insanity. It was all talk about armies, politics and kingdom resolutions. She knew eight heir kingdoms joining they'd become stronger and that's why Jemma felt guilty about not wanting the marriage and why she had to go through with it. 

When she left the meal she went to the kitchen to sneak out another slice of cake. She'd tried to at the meal but her mother just said "one slice is enough for a lady"  
Jemma just scoffed.  
She took the cake and gently wrapped it in tissue 

"Sneaking cake. I like your way of thinking" Fitz said from the doorway of the kitchen  
Jemma jumped slightly and span around to face him  
"Fitz, gosh you frightened me" she said laughing at her own scare.  
"I saw you come in here after you got away from Will and your mother" he said "so...where do you actually want your wedding?" He asked smiling

Another thing Jemma loved was being listened to and having her opinion heard. Her mother never let that happen but fitz was understanding so he cared about her thoughts too.

"A lovely garden. Not a big gathering but a quaint one" she said walking over to him and smiling sweetly "there would be a lake behind us and small green trees that was shape the aisle" she said 

"Us?" He asked. He'd just heard her say 'there'd be a lake behind US'

"You....you thought....about...us..." he said his smiling not fading away and Jemma nodded 

"As much as I know I have to go through with this....I still believe we can be together one day...and we can get married in someplace like that"

"I won't stop until we get there. I'm going to get the sweetest little cottage with everything you love inside" he said smiling lovingly at her. Jemma saw no one around so she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him softly


	2. It's a date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fitz plans a date for him and Jemma and she's delighted to make it happen.

The atmosphere was getting warmer and warmer and fitz was starting to find it unbearable. He took a drink of water and tried to refresh himself. He was working in the stables for most of the day. He was lucky Jemmas mother let him go horse riding even though he was her royal assistant who wasn't given enough credit. Fitz figured it was because Jemmas mother didn't want him around. After he was done feeding the horses he heard Jemmas voice from across the grass. Her arm was linked with prince Wills reluctantly and her eyes were wondering over the different types of flowers.

"This one is particularly interesting" Jemma said "its unique because it's structure...."  
"Jemma" Will interrupted her and just scoffed "no one cares about that stuff...just look at the flowers okay" he said smiling.   
Jemma bit her tongue and just forced a smile. She knew she had to. She looked at the dress she was wearing. Her mother had picked it out. It was a blue checkered summer dress which Jemma thought wasn't bad from the extravagant and uncomfortable dresses she'd worn in the past. She glanced over at the stables and saw fitz. She smiled over at him and he smiled back gently.  
Jemma wanted to run over and kiss him and just spend all of her time with him but that wasn't possible for her. Not now.

Jemma loved riding horses. Almost as much as she love finding new things and learning about medicine and science. But everytime Jemma tried to go horse riding she'd be pulled away by her mother to a ball or some sort of royal arrangement. Fitz could see Jemmas eyes staring longingly at the stable and he promised himself he'd sneak her out so she could spend time with the horses.

•••••  
Fitz walked over to Jemma and will shyly. He knew he didn't have the privilege to be talking to them but he'd known Jemma for a long time.   
"Will...I need to borrow Jemma for a second" fitz said quietly.  
"It's prince Will and princess jemma....and she's with me right now so..." will said rudely. Jemma resisted the urge to nudge Will with her elbow  
"Wills right" Jemma said even though she didn't want to "how about you go to the stable and finish up there. And later we can talk okay" Jemma said gently. She spoke to him differently from the Other royals.  
Fitz smiled slightly "okay..." he said

"Wait..." Will said "you're actually going to spend time with him?" He asked scoffing   
"He's my friend" Jemma said in her and fitzs defense   
"Best friend" fitz said before he could stop himself and Jemma smiled widely on agreement.   
"Besides...he's one of our best" Jemma said before Will pulled her off to a further part of the garden. She looked back at fitz apologetically and fitz Jemma smiled in reassurance to her guilt. He wanted to be with her. She wanted to be with him. But their families was what separated them.

••••••  
Jemma finally escaped the company of Will when he got distracted whilst talking to the royal army and knights. She'd told him she needed to go to her mother so he'd dismissed her faintly. Jemma picked up a pace when she came near the stables. She saw fitz still cleaning them out and she smiled.  
He turned around when he heard dainty footsteps behind him and her grinned when he saw Jemma.

"Hey...how did you manage to...." fitz started but before he could finish Jemma had leapt into his arms and kissed him softly. He laughed and pulled away slowly "can I have a greeting like that every time?" Fitz asked smiling. 

Jemma giggled and held his hand "I told Will I needed to talk to my mother but...I couldn't stand being away from you much longer"

"Me too" fitz said "it's driving me crazy" he said "I was going to take the horses out for some exercise this evening. Maybe you'd like to help"

Jemma smiled and her eyes lit up "you mean like...actually ride the horses without mother stopping me" she said holding his hands in hers tightly 

"I can get hunter to distract  
Your mother" fitz said. Hunter was one of the top army guards and one of fitzs most reliable friends.   
Jemma smiled and hugged him tightly 

"Meet me here at 7:00pm" fitz said softly

"It's a date" she responded


	3. Misunderstood trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jemma meets fitz at 7pm in the stables. But she doesn't expect what she sees

Jemma glanced at herself in the mirror and huffed in frustration. Couldn't her mother just let her wear her own dress choice?  
She was wearing an orange dress with golden detailing and Jemma thought it was hideous. She was wearing a simple pink dress underneath to make it more comfortable. And so when the dinner was over she could wear when spending time with fitz.   
She only had to survive the dinner long enough for hunter to cause a distraction so Jemma could sneak off to meet the man she truly loved.

Jemma gave herself one last look of disapproval in the mirror but she couldn't help the excitement forming in her stomach about spending time with fitz. She walked over to the door, being careful not to trip in her heals. She still wasn't used to wearing them. She headed downstairs to the dining room. She was about to walked through before a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her to one side in the corner. Jemma gasped In surprise before realising it was fitz.  
Her panic turned to amusement as she giggled slightly   
"I had to see you before dinner" fitz said smiling   
"You couldn't have waited longer?" She said smiling "because I couldn't either" she said before kissing him softly. He kissed back and smiled   
"You should probably go though. I'll meet you in the stables when hunter makes the distraction" he said kissing her forehead and running off. She smiled dreamily as she walked into the dining room

"Someone's happy" Will said and Jemma paused   
"I suppose I am" she said, although she knew it wasn't for the reasons Will was thinking.  
Jemma sat down and entered a daydream, staring off into space. She was thinking about her and fitz. The cottage they'd run away to together.   
"Jemma" her mother snapped, pulling her out of her wandering thoughts   
"Will was just telling us about how his army and our army can join together to fight the hydra kingdom"

The hydra kingdom was their enemy that went back generations. It was ruled by King Garret who was the worst of the worst. His son prince ward and his daughter princess Ophelia were even worse than their father. Jemma had only seen them once and it was when they attacked a few years ago. She remembered that day clearly. Her and fitz had been hiding in his room, there were sounds of swords clashing and screaming. She remembered the door being forced open and prince ward taking aim at them with his sword. She never expected fitz to shield her with himself and get wounded. Since then hydra was a kingdom she didn't want harming the people she cared about. 

••••••••  
Jemma stared internally at the clock. The time was stretching annoyingly and she just wanted to see fitz. She saw hunter walk in   
"Finally the distraction is here" Jemma murmured to herself.   
Just as hunter started talking to her mother a guard ran through looking concerned.   
"Your majesty. There's been a break in" they said breathlessly.   
Jemmas heart skipped a beat. Was it hydra?  
"It's the villagers. They've robbed some expensive items from your and your daughters rooms"   
Jemma sighed with relief before standing up "I'll go check my things" she said. Without another word Jemma ran to her room.   
She knew the robbery was bad but it could be worse. As soon as she'd passed the guards. She changed direction to the stables to meet fitz.   
She entered the stables slowly and smiled, excited to see him. To her horror she saw him with a group of people. They looked like villagers. Fitz was handing items to them. Most of them were carrying jewellery. Her jewellery. So they were the ones who'd robbed the palace. And fitz had helped them do it


	4. Disaster pulls us closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jemma feels betrayed by fitzs act even though he has reason. When prince ward and princess Ophelia break in, it pulls Jemma and fitz closer than ever.

"What the hell fitz" Jemma said walking over to him, catching him off guard. Fitz had just finished handing over Jemmas items to the villagers  
"Can we have a moment alone?" Fitz asked the villagers and they slowly headed off.   
"I was at dinner....waiting to come and see you. Then the guard came through saying we'd been robbed. I never expected you'd be a part of it" Jemma said as tears formed in her eyes, she felt betrayed and heartbroken.   
"Well there's a lot about me you may not know Jemma" fitz said sadly and quietly. He hated stealing from her and her family. But he had reason.  
"I love you" Jemma said "why would you do this to me?" She asked looking down sadly.  
Fitz slowly reached over and took her hands gently into his. Like they fitted together.  
"I needed money" fitz said, sounding guilty after what he'd done.  
"So you stole from me and my family?" Jemma asked sobbing, it all becoming too much for her.  
"I didn't want to but I needed money. I found a cottage. I wanted to surprise you. A cottage for us" fitz said squeezing her hands "you've always hated your jewellery...so I figured it would be a way to get money. A small risk for a happy life we could have together"  
Jemma kept her head down, she knew his intentions were good but he still betrayed her trust.  
"You could've just asked before you took my jewellery..." she said quietly "I trusted you" she said sadly before running off in tears.  
"No...Jemma wait... " fitz said, but she'd already run off. He kicked the stable wall in frustration and sat down with his head in his hands. He loved her and now he'd screwed up trying to help.

••••••••••  
The next day, Jemma didn't smile until she had to force a smile. She woke up to a sunrise, to birds chirping but nothing was lifting her mood. She needed time until she could forgive fitz. She knew he was trying to help but she just wished he would've asked before taking her things. She slipped out of bed and got dress for the breakfast buffet her mother had laid out.  
"What's with the sad face?" Will asked Jemma that morning.   
"Nothing. I'm fine" Jemma said forcing a smile onto her face. She looked over at fitz who was cleaning the dining room, their eyes met before Jemma looked back down. Even after what happened, his eyes even said he was sorry.   
"I think I need some air" Jemma said letting go of wills arm and walking out of the room quickly. She felt a little dizzy and let the fresh air fill her lungs as she sat in the garden. Fitz noticed her panicked reaction and felt guilt churning faster in his stomach. He wanted to go after her, hold her, say sorry, be with her. But if he did they'd be found out by her mother and separated forever.   
••••••••  
Jemma looked at the clouds, trying to spot patterns and shapes to distract herself. Her mind wandered off to a possible life she'd have with fitz, the cottage, being away from the harshness of war and royalty. Jemma was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard footsteps across the grass. She stood up from the grass and looked around. She was caught off guard when a hand grabbed her arm and turned her around to face them.  
"Prince ward" Jemma whispered when she first saw his face. It was unmistakably him. His piercing eyes and jet black hair was hard to forget.  
"Long time no see" ward said bluntly. "the last time I saw you....you and your friend were curled up in a closet shaking. I remember wounding your friend...how is he? Still cleaning up after the queen?" He asked.   
Jemma glared up at him "he's more of a man than you'll ever be" Jemma said trying to think of a way to signal the guards.  
"What are you doing here? How did you get in?" She demanded.  
"I distracted the guards...they didn't recognise me at first" princess Ophelia said walking towards them. Jemma recognised her smirking expression.  
"Tell your father to give up. He'll never get rid of our kingdom" Jemma snapped, she hated hydra and everyone associated with it.   
Jemma flinched as ward pinned her arms behind her, she reacted by kicking him harshly, causing his grip to loosen. She attempted to run, grab a weapon or find a guard. Ophelia grabbed her arm and held her there and Jemma was surprised at her unbelievable strength. The next part for Jemma was a blur. She remembered calling for the guards and them arriving quicker than lightening. Then she remembered swords crashing her being thrown to the ground. Then she felt arms wrap securely around her in comfort. She looked up and saw fitz holding her close to him.  
"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Fitz asked worriedly as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Jemma shook her head slowly.  
"Did they....they arrest them?" Jemma asked shakily.   
"No...but we will never let them get to you again" fitz promised "I won't let it happen..." he whispered softly. Jemma looked at him lovingly "I'm sorry...I should've been stronger..." 

Fitz just shook his head smiling "you're the strongest girl I know Jems" he said. Jemma leant forward kissed him softly, keeping him close to her. She didn't think about the guards still on the field, she kissed him anyways.  
"Jemma..." Will said. She pulled away from fitz slowly, in realisation Will had spotted them. This wasn't going to end well.


	5. My future with her isn't dead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jemmas family refuse to let her and fitz see eachother again. She won't let that happen for long

Jemma looked up at Will. She wasn't expecting him to spot her and fitz kissing. She stood up nervously and fitz stood up with her.  
"Jemma....we're engaged" Will said looking heartbroken. Jemma resisted the temptation to correct him and say betrothed.  
"I'm sorry will.....I wish I could love you but my heart belongs to fitz" she said quietly and linked her hand with fitzs. Jemma noticed her mother behind Will and knew she wouldn't respond well.  
"It's not her fault..." fitz said immediately "don't be angry with her..." he said and Jemma just squeezed his hand as her mother walked over, looking stern as usual.  
The next thing Jemma knew her mother was escorting her back into the palace as fitz looked at her with tears in his eyes

•••••••••••  
"You locked him up?" She asked in shock when her mother told her "I love him! I want to be with him for the rest of my life!" She said standing up. "Just let me be happy!"   
"I can't do that, if you don't marry Will then we'll be vulnerable to hydra" her mother said. Jemma knew her mother always made her feel guilty and this was another thing she could use to do hay.   
"Please mother..." she said "he's my life...and i want to be with him" she said as tears ran down her face.  
"You're marrying Will, you either accept it or I'll just send fitz over to the hydra kingdom myself" her mother said and Jemma felt herself shaken. They were threatening him. Jemma turned away and put her head in her hands as her mother walked out   
"I have to fix this" she whispered to herself

••••••••  
Fitz had his eyes fixed on the wall of his cell. He was cold and miserable, all for loving a princess. He loved Jemma and he wanted to get out and run away with her. He was told by the guards that he'd never see again but he had more hope than that. He was going to get out somehow. He shivered slightly as a small breeze drifted through a crack in the stone wall. Fitz glanced over at it and smiled as an idea came into his head. He always carried a small tool with him, usually for emergency, it was sharp enough to chip away brick, it wouldn't be quick but it'd be his only way out. He was snapped out of his thoughts when his meal was brought through and he knew eating was better than nothing.  
•••••••

That night Jemma barely slept at all, everything she wanted, her life with fitz, had been ripped away. She couldn't figure out how she would ever be with him but she wanted it more than anything. She twirled the necklace he'd given her for one of her birthdays, slowly. She was going to get him out. She'd just need some help

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this! I've been wanting to make a fairytale AU for sooooo long


End file.
